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Presentation on theme: "Council of Nicea & Council of Constantinople"— Presentation transcript:

2 WHY STUDY THE CHURCH FATHERS & THE COUNCILS?The teachings of the church fathers are still RELEVANT today.Written – Scripture(read chapter 3 – emphasize when there is a question today – go back to what the fathers say; fathers addressed the question of human nature and they will give us the password; because they gave us the value, meaning and origin of the human being; we can use their teachings to modify, and apply; they are still relevant though they didn’t fact questions like AIDS and computers ) Ex: St Athanasius great father and scholar, also taught based on the earlier fathersThe Fathers addressed the question of human nature, and they gave us the value, meaning and origin of life. They will give us the KEY so we can apply THEIR TEACHINGS AND SCRIPTURE to today’s modern problems.

4 Founder: Arius, a priest in North Africa COUNCIL OF NICEAKEY HERESY - ARIANISMFounder: Arius, a priest in North AfricaApplied the human relationship between earthly father and earthly son to God the Father and God the SonWhile the Father was there before ages, the Son wasn’t, and therefore, the Son was created by the FatherLogical consequence of this belief: Only the Father was eternal and the Son was one of the creationsSon is NOT co-eternal with the Father

5 THEREFORE, CONCLUSION OF ARIAN BELIEF CHRIST COULDN’T HAVE SAVED USCOUNCIL OF NICEA: OUTCOMEKEY DEFENSEIf Christ were not God Then He becomes a created beingIf Christ were not God Then He couldn’t have saved usIf Christ were a man Then He can’t make us sons of GodTHEREFORE, CONCLUSION OF ARIAN BELIEFCHRIST COULDN’T HAVE SAVED USContradicts JOHN 1:12

6 THEN IF KEY DEFENSE COUNCIL OF NICEA: OUTCOME Christ is Son of GodAccording to JOHN 1Christ is Son of GodHe is one essence with the FatherHe was with the Father at all agesBoth Father and Son are above timeChrist is GodHe cannot be a created beingTHENIF

7 THEOLOGICAL ADMINSITRATIVECOUNCIL OF NICEA: OUTCOMEDefended the divinity of ChristDeveloped the CreedExcommunicated Arians from the ChurchDefined the beginning of the Great LentDetermined the time of EasterDiscussed how to integrate Christians who returned to the Church (Schism of Meliton)Outlined guidelines for the relationship among the dioceseEx: bishop of one diocese cannot go to another bishop’s diocese without his permissionTHEOLOGICALADMINSITRATIVE

8 COUNCIL OF NICEA: KEY FIGUREBorn in 295 ADServed as a deacon to the patriarch AlexandrusDefended the divinity of Christ at the Council of NiceaBecame the patriarch shortly after the Nicean Council at 33 years of ageIntegrated monasticism into church lifeRemoved from office five times (17 years) by the king based on accusations of murder brought by the AriansRemained in exile intermittently before he returned to Alexandria to resume his post as patriarchServed as patriarch for 45 years.Find another icon – st. mary coptic church of pasadena, caSaint Athanasius

9 Place: ConstantinopleCOUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLEConstantinopleDate: 381 ADPlace: ConstantinopleParticipants: 150 bishopsReason for Council: King Constantine called this council to define the faith concerning the divinity of the Holy Spirit

10 KEY HERESY - EUNOMIANISM Founder: Eunomius, a priest COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLEKEY HERESY - EUNOMIANISMFounder: Eunomius, a priestDenied Holy Spirit as God because of his misinterpretation of the Scripture1st ARGUMENT: Since angels are called spirits and they are created beings, the Holy Spirit is also a created being2nd ARGUMENT: The Holy Spirit is not mentioned in Scripture with the definite article “the”

11 The work of the Holy Spirit in us proves that He is God COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLEKEY DEFENSEIf we deny the divinity of the Holy Spirit, then we don’t believe of the Son (because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Son and of the Father), so we don’t believe in the Holy TrinityThe work of the Holy Spirit in us proves that He is GodSt. Basil the Great, St. Gregory the Theologian, St. Didimus the Blind responded to the Eunomians 2nd argumentNeed to expand this slide

12 COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE: KEY FIGUREBorn in 329/330 ADReceived instruction about the Christian faith through his grandmother; raised in an influential Christian familyBecame a priest and then later a bishop of CeasareaFocused the majority of his life on defending the faith against Homoean policy (Son is similar to the Father, not of one essence of the Father)Wrote two major writings against Eunomius and defended the divinity of the Holy SpiritCurrent form of the liturgy is based on Saint Basil’s reforms to the Ceasarean liturgyFind another iconSaint Basil the Great

13 COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE: KEY FIGUREBorn 329/330 AD in NazianusFriend of Saint Basil the GreatLoved rhetoric and high learningServed as leader of the Council of ConstantinopleProclaimed his “five theological orations” concerning the Trinity for which he earned the honorary title “the theologian”Wrote many sermons, letters and poetry during the final part of his lifeAlso wrote a liturgy we use todayChange iconSaint Gregory the Theologian

14 Expanded the Creed concerning the divinity of the Holy SpiritCOUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE: OUTCOMEExpanded the Creed concerning the divinity of the Holy SpiritExcommunicated the Eunomians

16 “WE BELIEVE” CREED: KEY PHRASES – EVIDENCE FROM TRADITIONWe wrote what we believed to defend against heresiesThis is a written expression of what we have always believedWe believed since the inception of Christ

17 “FATHER” CREED: KEY PHRASES – EVIDENCE FROM TRADITION“Father” is placed before Creator and Pantocrator in the CreedBy using the name “Father” one assumes He has a SonAffirms our belief in a Trinitarian God

18 “BEGOTTEN NOT CREATED”CREED: KEY PHRASES – EVIDENCE FROM TRADITION“BEGOTTEN NOT CREATED”God the Father “gave birth” to God the SonGod the Son is Creator, and He is not a created beingGod the Father and God the Son are CO-ETERNAL with the SAME AUTHORITY and the SAME POWER

19 “TRUE LIGHT OF TRUE LIGHT”CREED: KEY PHRASES – EVIDENCE FROM TRADITION“TRUE LIGHT OF TRUE LIGHT”Metaphor used to explain Christ’s divine nature“If you see a lamp that gives light, you can’t separate the lamp and the light”Need some explanation here too“You can’t separate the rays of the sun from the sun itself”

20 “HOLY SPIRIT” CREED: KEY PHRASES – EVIDENCE FROM TRADITIONHoly Spirit proceeds from the Father and given by the SonHoly Spirit is “Breath” and He is of one essence with the Father and the SonNeed another explanation hereHoly Spirit is “Lord” and because He is Lord, He is “Giver of Life”

21 TODAY’S CREEDToday’s Creed is a combination of both Councils of Nicea and ConstantinopleGod is One in Three Different Persons, but not separate as they are not bound by space and timeThe Creed reaffirmed the relationship of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit are Co-Eternal, Co-Existent, Equal, Co-Substantial